Double work and women's health

In Canada, a high percentage of wives and mothers have full time or part time paid employment outside the home; yet the expectation that they will assume primary responsibility for domestic work persists. As a result, women who work outside the home experience cumulative stress: too many physical and emotional demands to meet, too many hours of work, and a continuous struggle to reconcile the demands of the two work settings. The author considers double work from a socioeconomic, structural viewpoint, and from the perspective of increased psychosocial and health risks. She calls on professionals to address the complex and controversial issues raised by the identification of double work as a risk factor.